Google launches throttling detector

Google is launching online tools to help users detect when their internet provider is slowing down particular types of traffic such a peer-to-peer filesharing. It says the tools are more accurate than any rivals because they use a wider variety of servers.

The tools, known as M-Lab, have been in the works since last June, but this is the first time any have been publicly available. Three are already available: a general connection speed test, a tool to diagnose problems between your home and the local phone exchange, and Glasnost, which measures whether there is any variation between the transfer speeds of different internet-connected applications on your computer.

Tools still in development will examine whether Internet firms are intentionally slowing down different types of traffic, and whether they are discriminating against particular users.

The tools may expose firms which operate ‘throttling’ policies which slow down traffic such as filesharing through Bit Torrents. Internet providers say such measures are necessary to avoid the heaviest users slowing down overall access, but they violate the government’s official policy of net neutrality, which says that (aside from illegal content) all internet traffic should be treated equally.

Google insists that the aggregate data it gathers from the tools won’t be used as a political weapon on the net neutrality issue. It says the aim of the project is simply to provide information and it’s down to individuals what they do with it.

The tools may also uncover ‘traffic shaping’ where internet providers limit the amount of data users can transfer during peak hours. However, as long as these limits don’t take any account of what users are actually doing with that traffic, they don’t breach net neutrality. (They can, and do, lead to complaints from users who’ve been sold an Internet package offering ‘unlimited access’ though.)

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